Awning recessed door operating mechanism



Dec. 15, 1942. E. H. SCHANE 2,304,960

AWNING RECESSED DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. :51, 1940 1 i I \91'4 2 1 1 .3 i] 2.5 i {VENTOR 2 WA ED SCH/ME 4Z 2a /3 E76 OP/VEVS PatentedDec. 15, 1942 AWNING RECESSED DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Edward H.'Schane, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Farmer Manufacturing Company,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 31, 1940,Serial No. 355,043

4: Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in awning mechanisms, and moreparticularly to an improved awning recess lid controlling or operatingmechanism of the type shown in my Patent No. 2,112,579, of March 29,1938.

As is shown and described in the said patent, it has become goodengineering practice to provide a recess above the windows in the frontof the building into which the awning may be folded when not in use.These recesses are usually provided with a closure in the form of ahinged lid which may be opened to lower the awning and close it when theawning is folded up, thus not only protecting the awning when it is notin use, but hiding the unsightly appearing awning when it is folded. Thelid may be pivotally connected to the edge of the recess or to a roddisposed within the confines of the recess, and in either event, meansmust be provided for swinging the lid about its pivot to open and closethe recess. This means is preferably a nonreversible mechanism and maybe connected either to the pintle to which the lid is secured orconnected by separate linkage to the lid itself. In my prior patent, Idisclosed a form of mechanism for controlling the movement of this lidwhich comprised a worm and a gear in mesh with each other, the gearbeing connected to the operating shaft and adapted to be driven by theworm to rotate the shaft. Devices of this type, although somewhatsatisfactory, had the disadvantage that no great gear reduction wasallowable because of the limited space, and hence with recess doors thatwere long, it required considerable effort for their operation. The sizeof the gears was limited due to the small space in which the mechanismwas used. This item of limited space also prevented the convenient useof a train of gears. Furthermore, the gearing could not conveniently behoused, with the result that the lubrication of the same was somewhat ofa problem.

By my present invention, I have provided a novel worm and gearconnection where the advantages of a reduction drive is allowed withoutthe disadvantage of taking up a large space. Still further advantagesreside in the fact that with my improved construction I am able tocompletely house the mechanism in such a manner that it may be providedwith lubricant at the factory and retain this lubricant over aconsiderable period of years without attention. Being housed, cheapermaterial may be used in the parts without danger of rusting. Rain anddirt cannot get into the parts and cause the same to become inoperative.

Still another advantage of the construction resides in so designing thehousing that it may be mounted at various difierent angles and indifferent places, thus providing a more versatile mechanism.

Still other advantages of the invention and the invention itself willbecome more apparent from the following description of an embodimentthereof, which description is illustrated by the accompanying drawingand forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in cross section of the forward portion ofan awning recess showing in full lines the lid closed and in dotdashlines alternate portions taken by the lid when opened to variouspositions;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, being a vertical medial section through adevice embodying my invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Throughout the drawing, like parts have been designated by likereference characters.

As best shown in Fig. 1, a recess l of generally rectangularcross-section is provided in the front of a building usually above thewindow. An awning with the usual lateral arms, not shown, is adapted tofold up into and be housed therein. The front of the recess is adaptedto be closed, when the awning is folded, by a door 2 which is hingedlysupported being rigidly connected to a rod 3 by clamping brackets 4,which brackets are connected to the lid by screws 5. Supports I aresecured to the upper side of the recess by bolts 8 and are provided withdownwardly and outwardly extending arms 9 in which the rod 3 isrotatably journalled.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to thespecific manner in which the lid or door is supported, as many othermanners of hingedly supporting the door are well known to those versedin the art, one other such support .is shown in Fig. 6 of my herebeforementioned Patent No. 2,112,579.

In the construction described herein, the lid rotates with the rod 3,and may be elevated to either of the positions shown by the dot-dashline in Fig. 1. Elevation or opening of the lid is accomplished byrotating the rod 3. Means for rotating the rod is provided and it is inconnection with this mechanism that the present invention isparticularly concerned.

Briefly, the rod rotating means includes a to be moved to any desiredrotated position and there retained. In carrying out the invention Iprovide a gear case ill which includes pairs of like housings of theconformation best shown in Fig. 2. As will be seen from the drawing,this housingis generally rectangular, but tapers to a blunt point II atthe end where it connects to the lid shaft 3. The tapered walls l2 andthe small shaft gear l3 provide a construction which allows the shaft 3to be placed in closer proximity to the front of the recess and closerto the top, and still not have the operating mechanisms extend beyondthe front'of the building. A spur gear 113 is provided which may beintegral with a shaft l3, which shaft extends beyond the confines of thehousing end and is adapted to be connected by a sleeve coupling 40 tothe shaft 3. Means for driving the gear i3 is provided and comprises aworm l4 which is pinned to a shaft enlarged worm gear segment 22, inmesh with the worm M and a small spur gear segment 23 in mesh with thelid shaftlspur gear l3. The gear segments .22 .and 23 extend on a commonplane from opposite sides of a.hub 25. The hub 25 is provided with abore 25 axially disposed relative to the gear segments and adapted to berotatably journalled on a hollow spindle or bushing 21 whichis seated incounter-bores 28 of bosses 42 integral with. the housing walls (Fig. 3).

As previously stated, the housing comprises like halves. They are heldinproper alignment by dowels 3E1. anditogether by bolts 3| and 32. Thebolt or stud 32 passes through the spindle 2'? and screws into the otherside of the housing. The bolt 32,.as mentioned,.not only serves to holdthe housing in. assembledposition, but being provided with a bore 33allows a bolt or stud 34to be passed therethrough to provide means formounting the housing on the end wall of the recess. It is thus possibleto hold the entire mechanism in position. with one bolt which, not onlysimplifies the mounting problem, but. allows the mechanism to be mountedat a point where the forces are more or less balanced, as well aseliminating the necessity of lugs on the side of the housing which wouldtake up more room.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The parts during installation ar assembled and vheld .in position in.the two housing halves by the bolts 3!. and 32. The position to be takenby the mechanism relative to the shaft 3 and the sides .of the recesshaving been determined, a single hole is provided in the end wall of theawning recess, after which the mechanism is securedthereto by the bolt34 as previously explained.

When it is. desired to open or close the recess, a winding brace andshaft is connected to the hook 2B and the shaft isv rotated thereby. Theworm hl isthusrotated .and .in turn rotates the gear 25. I alsocontemplate using an electric motor connecting to the shaf [5, since theconstruction disclosed is readily adjusted to such a combination.

The worm I l being in mesh with the large segment 22 of the gear 25, andthe small segment 23 on the other side of the gear being meshed with thedrive gear l3, a considerable reduction drive is accomplished by thegear I3 with a minimum of gears, affording considerable saving in space.

Since by this arrangement the gear I3 may be made small, whereas itwould otherwise have to be large to provide the desired mechanicaladvantage (see my Patent No. 2,112,579) it is possiblet'o enclose thesame with a housing, which housing would otherwise have to be so largeas tomakeitdiiiicult, if not impossible, to properly position it in therecess. Because the housing is tapered toward the end which extends intothe corner of. the recess, it. is possible to position it closer. tothelid and upper wall of the recess. The advantages. of this will beobvious since it provides for a greater versatility of mounting. Forinstance, in the case where the lid is mounted on the gear shaft, itallows that mounting to be moved closer to the upper wall of the recessas well as. closer to the end, and in either event it allows, for alarger opening into thelrecess.

Having. thus described my invention in an embodiment thereof, I. amaware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from thestructure shown and described without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention.

I claim:

1. An awning recess having a lid, a controlling mechanism for said lidcomprising a housing, a. worm drive gear rotatably disposed in thehousing, adriven spur. ar disposed in the housing and a shaftsecuredthereto extending out of'the housing. and being connected to saidlid, means interposed between the worm and spur gear to providea.reduction drive therebetween comprising, a composite .gearhaving agearsection-of large.ratio..connected to the worm, and agear section.of. small ratio connected to the spur gear, a. hollow spindle for.supporting the. composite gear, said housing provided with journals forsupporting said spindleand supporting means for said mechanismextending. through said spindlefor,holdingtheassembly in the awningrecess.v

2., Anap-paratus of. theclass described for:

opening and closing an .awning recess door includinga housing, awormrotatably disposedin the housing, ashaft connected to said worm andextending outwardly. ofthe housing and having a coupling for turning.thesame, a driven gear rotatably supportedin. the housing, a shaftconnected. to the driven. gear and to the awning remeshed with the worm,and a small gear; sector meshed wt h the driven gear and means forro-ntatably supporting said idler member compris;

ing a hollow spindle, said housing being provided with oppositelyaligned bosses for receivingand holding said spindle and means extendingthrough said housings and spindle to secure the mechanism in desiredoperative position relative to the awning door.

3. A-device of the class described including a housing formed of likehalves and means for holding the parts of the housing together and in.lalignedrelation, aworm disposed in-one end of the housing and providedwith a shaft extending out of the housing and means on said shaft torotate the same, a driven gear of small pitch diameter in said housingand adapted to be connected to a shaft to be driven and having a shaftextending out of said housing for driving connection with anothermember, means interposed between said worm and gear for providing areduction drive therebetween comprising a composite gear having asegment of large pitch diameter in mesh with said worm and a secondsegment of small pitch diameter in mesh with the driven gear, saidcomposite gear having a hub, bosses formed in said housing and a hollowspindle adapted to be secured in said bosses and said composite gearbeing rotatably disposed on said spindle, said housing walls beingformed with openings coaxial with said bosses and said spindle andadapted for receiving a bolt which passes through the housing, spindleand gear to secure the housing to a support.

4. A mechanism for operating an awning recess lid comprising a hollowhousing formed of like halves with a tapered end portion adapted to bedisposed in a limited space such as in the corner of an awning recess, aspur gear of small pitch diameter journaled in said tapered end sectionand having a shaft extending beyond the housing for connecting to anawning recess lid, means for operating said gear to open and close saidrecess lid comprising a worm gear rotatably journaled in the other endof said housing and having means extending out of the housing forturning the same, a reduction gearing connecting said worm to said firstgear comprising a composite gear having a gear segment of large pitchdiameter in mesh with said worm and a second gear segment of small pitchdiameter in mesh with said first mentioned gear, a hub for saidcomposite gear, bosses formed in said housing, a hollow spindlesupported in said bosses and carrying said composite gear, saidmechanism being arranged for disposal with the tapered or reduced end inconfined spaces such as the corner of an awning recess, and said housingwalls formed with openings coaxial with said bosses and said spindle andarranged to receive a securing means therethrough for securing themechanism to a support.

EDWARD H. SCHANE.

